Tool carrier for metal working machines



Feb. 12, 1935:

M. S. CURTIS TOOL CARRIER FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed June 29, i9325- Sheets-Sheet l M m TTORNEY Feb. 12, 1935. M. s. CURTIS TOOL CARRIERFOR METAL WORKING MACHINES 5 SheetsSheet 2 m vvwn v lllllllwvw FiledJune 29, 1932 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1935. M. s. CURTIS TOOLCARRIER FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed June 29,1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3NVENTO-R ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1935 TOOL CARRIER FoR METAL WORKINGMACHINES Myron S. Curtis, Pawtucket, R. 1., assigl'rior to WilliamWallace Potter, Pawtucket, R. I.

Application June 29, 1932, Serial No. 620,038

7 Claims.

T on reciprocating carriers or slides, it is desirable,

as in machines of the type in which a plurality of tools aresimultaneously in action on the work to give certain of the tools adifferent rate of or different direction of feed than others. Thisisparticularly desirable in machine tools having a multiplicity ofspindles each with a work-piece and in which a number of work-pieces aresimultaneously acted upon by different cutting tools and all the toolsbeing carried on a single slide. Accordingly, a specific objectof myinvention is the enabling of different rates of feed of differentsimultaneously acting tools, but my invention con-* sists in whatever isdescribed by or is included within the terms or scope of the appendedclaims.

To exemplify one embodiment of my invention, especially as I havedeveloped it in connection with such a machine, 1 illustrate and willdescribe it in the multi-station type machine which forms the subject ofa copending joint application in the name of William Wallace Potter andmyself, Serial No. 542,156 of 1931.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively longitudinal sections with parts inelevation of enough of such a machine as that of said application forpatent showing the tool carrying head at different points of movement;

Figrla is an end view of the tool carrier;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of an embodiment of my invention bywhich the same tool may be moved in different directions for cutting;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of the tool head;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section ofanother construction foraccomplishing the object of whatis shown in Fig. 3;

. Fig. '7 is an end elevation thereof;

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively detail views in side elevation and topplan of the tool head.

7 As in the machine of the'aforesaid application, there is arotatablespindle carrying head 10, for a plurality of axially parallelspindles, each of which has a work-piece chuck, 11, and a reciprocatingcarrier or slide 12, mounted to slide on a support 13,;with which thespindles in a circular group are concentric and the slide carrying aplurality of tools for simultaneous action upon work in the variouschucks. With the mechanism for reciprocating the tool slide and rotatingthe circular group of spindles, my present invention has nothing to do,and, therefore, no further description of theparts just generallymentioned is necessary.

I describe first what appears in iil'aand 2 of the drawings. o In thedrawings, besides the tool holderll l, whose rateof feed is that of theslide 12, I-show one other tool holder 15, which besides movement withthe slide 12, is given an additional ,feed movement so that its rate offeed is accelerated compared with that of other tools. Such'other. toolholder is in the form of a tubular bar whose longitudinal axisalines'with the longitudinal axis of the spindle which carries theopposite chuck 11, shown in'Fig. 1, and it is mounted, to-slidelongitudinally in a hole 16, in the slide at the end nearest the chuckand in a bushing 1'7, at the opposite end of the slide 12. At its endnext thechuck 11, thetool holder 15,- has a tool head 18, for attachmentof the desired tool. Though the tool holder is free to slide, itisrestrained from turning. as by means of radial headed'pins 19, securedat suitable points to the bushing 17,, and projecting inwardly eachthrough a longi: tudinal slot 20, in the wall of the holder.- j 1' H 1Within the tool holder and free to rotate therein, is a cylinder 21,having a peripheral oblique slot or path cam 22, whichengages the innerend of a radial stud 23,-attached to the tool holder so that by therotation of the cam as presently described, the tool holder will bemoved in its feeding movement over the work-piece and retracted. The cam21, is fixed to a central shaft 24, which extends rearwardly in the toolholder, and at its rear end has an internally threadedbushing or nut 25,which engages thread 26, on the forward end portion of a rod 27, inaxialalinement with the shaft and to accommodate the forward end ofwhich the shaft is made hollow. ,,It will be seen that by longitudinalmovement of the shaft nut 25, over the threads 26, the shaft and inconsequence the cam will rotate. The shaft is given longitudinalmovement by having the inner ends of the radial pins 19,engage each anopening in the shaft, it thereby being connected and moving with carrier12. i I

The rod 27, has a limited amount of longitudinal or axial movement butis restrained from such movement at the time revolution of the'cam 22 tomove the tool holder is required. To accom-r plish this, it extends atits rear portion through a holein a bushing 28, which is secured to thetail-stock portion of the rear housing 29. And on opposite sides of saidbushing, said rodzhas two sets of stop collars 30 and 31, respectively,the

rear end portion of the rod being threaded for the adjustment of suchstop collars with reference to the bushing sides.

The rod 2'7, though free to have a limited longitudinal movement, is atall times held from radial pins 19.

As shown in Fig. 1, the slide 12 which carries all of the tools is inits position furthest from the work and in that position the stopcollars abut against the forward side of the bushing 28, while the stopcollars 31, are spaced away from the bushing and the cam path 20 will bein the position inwhich the tool holder 15, is fully retracted. Forwardmovement of the slide 12 now taking place, to carry the tools to thework, the rod 2'7, by friction of the nut 25, on its thread 26, will becarried forwarduntil the rear stop collars 31, engage the bushing 28,and stop further onward movement, whereupon feeding movement of theslide 12, continuing, the nut 25 will be drawn over the thread 26 (therod 27, being held from rotation) and the cam 21,'thereby revolved withthe result that the tool holder 15 will be moved forward faster than itis moving with the slide 12. The angle of the cam path 22,'determinesthe rate of acceleration of feed and different rates may be obtained byvariations in the cam angle and indeed deceleration of feed may beproduced by selection of a cam path that will accomplish that result inwhich'case the tool will move slower than its movement with the slide12.

On the return movement of the slide 12 after the tool has finished itsaction, the rod 27, will move with the slide until the stop collars 30,prevent further movement whereupon by the rearward travel of nut 25,over the thread 26, the reversed revolution of the cam will take placeand the tool holder 15 restored to the first-described position.

In Figs. 3 to 9 of the drawings, constructions are shown by which the toand fro movements of the tool carrier or-slide are utilized to produceor cause movement of the tool in acting on the work transversely of thespindle axis 'as well as longitudin'ally of the spindle axis.

Describing what is shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the tool carrier or slide 12(which is similar to that in Figs. 1 and 2) supports spaced apartbushings 35, in axial alinement with the spindle, a tubular tool holder36, which is free to move longitudinally in the same direction in whichthe slide 12, moves, but such tool holder is restrained from rotation.At the end of the holder 36, towards the chuck is mounted a tool headwhich comprises a plate 37, fixed to such end of the holder 36, and onthe forward vertical side of such plate is rigidly fixed a slide base38, which at the bottom has spaced apart gibs 39, that have slidingcontact with an adjacent fiat face of the tool slide 12, and thereby thetool holder 36 and attached parts are kept from rotating while free'toslide to and fro.

Mounted to slide crosswise of the base 36,'in a usual'way, is a toolholding slide 40, with a T- slot in-its face for attachment of thedesired tool, to the back of which is fixed a transversely extendingrack 41, with which a pinion 42, concentrio with the axis of the toolholder 36, meshes, so that by the rotation of the pinion, as presentlydescribed, transverse movement may be imparted to the tool'slide 40.Said pinion is fixed to the forward end of a shaft 43, mounted withinthe tool holder 36, concentric therewith which is free to rotate but isheld against longitudinal movement, and to the rear portion of saidshaft 43, is fixed a sleeve 44, which on its periphery has an obliquelyextending slot or path cam 45, with which engages the inner end of aradially extending pin or roller 46, that is mounted in a fixed positionon the tool slide 12, the angle of the cam path 45, being such that bymovement of the: pin or roller 46, with the slide 12 and restrainedlongitudinal movement of the cam, rotation of the cam will result, withthe result that the meshing pinion and rack will act to move the toolslide 40 transversely.

It is desired that the tool holder 36, shall have limited longitudinalmovement with the tool carrier 12, and thereafter shall be immovablelongitudinally as the tool slide 12 continues its movement, and it isduring the arrested longitudinal movement of the tool holder 36, thatthe rotation of the cam takes place. To accomplish that, there are stopcollars or nuts 47 and 48, respectively, applied to the tool holder 36,the former coacting with a fixed stop such as the adjacent end of thebushing, and the latter 48, coacting with a fixed stop in the form of abushing 49, in a hole in the rear main housing 50, through which thetool holder 36, extends rearward with the stop 48, in rear of thebushing49. Between the two stops, lock collars 51, are threaded on the toolholder 36, and a spring 52,extends between'such collars and the end ofthe bushing 35, in rear thereof, so that normally and yieldingly by thepressure of said spring, the tool holder 36, is held with the forwardstop collar 47, in contact with the end of the bushing 35.

It will be seen that with the parts in the'position shown in Fig. 3,that forward movement of the tool slide 12, towards the work on thespindle will be accompanied by similar movement of the tool holder 36,until the stop 48, strikes the bushing 49, whereupon the tool slide 12will continue its movement alone and by the coaction of the cam path 45and roller 46, the pinion 42, will be revolved and the rack and toolslide 40 thereby be moved transversely. The spring 52 is compressedduring this action. Upon the return travel of the tool slide 12, thespring 52 acts to hold the tool holder 36, against longitudinalmovement,-with respect to the housing 50, and thereby-by a reverseaction of the path cam and pin or roller 46, the tool slide 40 isrestored to its original position collar 47, abutting against theforward bushing 35, so that thereafter the tool holder 36, movesrearward with the slide 12;

It will be evident that the direction of the transverse feed of the toolmay be at right angles to the spindle axis or at any other desired angledependent upon the placing of the slide base 41.

Describing what is shownin Figs. 6 to 9, it will be seen that there is atubular tool holder 360, mounted for longitudinal movement in spacedapart bushings 350, in the tool carrier or slide 12, and there are stopcollars 4'70 and 480 on such holder and a spring-engaged collar 51,thereon,

in all of which respects the construction and the action thereof aresimilar to the corresponding structure of Fig.3. And to the spindle endof said tool holder 36, is secured a slide base380, on

the outer face of which is mounted for transverse movement a tool slide400, which is held yieldingly at one limit of its motion by a coilspring 520, coacting stops 53 and 54 on slide and base,

limiting the movement of the slide by the spring 520.

Transverse movement of the tool slide 400, against the pressure ofspring 520, is produced by coacting cams 55 and 56, respectively, on themain tool slide 12, and the cross slide 400, the cross slide cam 56being in the form of a pivoted or clapper dog that permits it to tripwhen necessary over the main slide cam 55.

It will be seen that when the main cross slide 12 moves from itsrearmost position towards-the work carrying spindle, the tool holder 360will partake of that movement until it is arrested by the stop deviceand thereafter feed movement of the main slide 12, continuing its cam 55acting on the dog 56 of the cross slide, will move the cross slide tooltransversely of the spindle axis. Upon return movement of the main slide12, the spring 521, holds tool holder 360 against relative rearwardmovement and the main slide cam 55 moves away from the clapper dog 56,allowing spring 520, to act to return the cross-slide 400, to

its original position until stop 470 and bushing 350, abut, andthereafter tool holder 360 moves rearward with the main tool slide 12.

What I claim is:

1. In a tool feed for machine tools, a tool carrier movable towards andfrom a work-holder, a tool holder movable with as well as relatively tosaid carrier and automatic means for moving said tool holder whilemovement of the tool carrier proceeds, said tool holder being hollowlongitudinally and said tool holder moving means comprising anautomatically acting member within the hollow holder.

2. In a tool feed for machine tools, a tool carrier movable towards andfrom a work-holder, a tool holder movable with as well as relatively tosaid carrier and automatic means for moving said tool holder whilemovement of the tool carrier proceeds, said tool holder being hollowlongitudinally and said tool holder moving means comprising anautomatically acting member within the hollow holder, comprisingcooperating members one of which moves with said carrier and the otherof which is relatively stationary.

3. In a tool feed for machine tools, the combination of a carriermovable towards and from the work-holder of the machine, a tool holderslidable on the carrier in the direction of its movement, said toolholder being hollow, a cam within the tool holder, tool holder and camhaving interengaging parts and means to rotate the cam comprisingcooperating members one of which is connected with and moves with thecarrier and the other of which is relatively stationary.

4. A mechanism as in claim 1 in which there is a plurality ofwork-holders and a plurality of tool holders, certain of the toolholders having movement only at the rate of movement of the carrier.

5. A mechanism as in claim 1 having means to cause relative movement oftool holder and carrier during only a portion of the movement of thecarrier.

6. In a tool feed for machine tools, the combination of a carriermovable towards and from the work-holder of the machine, a tool holderslidable on the carrier in the direction of its movement, said toolholder being hollow, and a cam within the tool holder, tool holder andcam having interengaging parts that cause rotation of one bylongitudinal movement of the other and automatic means that causes suchlongitudinal movement.

'7. In a machine tool, the combination of a plurality of work holders, aplurality of tool holders, a carrier for all of the tool holders movabletowards and from the work holders, certain of the tool holders havingmovement only at the rate of movement of the carrier and automatic meansacting on other tool holders that impart movement thereto different fromthat with the carrier at least one of such last-mentioned tool holdershaving said automatic means that includes a member within a space withinsuch tool holder.

MYRON S. CURTIS.

